[6] The House served as an important space for Bloomsbury's Black population during the interwar period and was well-known as a place where African and West Indian students would not experience discrimination.

[10][11][12] The Gower Street building was left intact but leaning due to bombing in the London Blitz.

[13] The first building at 1–6 Park Crescent (known as GPS because of its entrance at 229 Great Portland Street) was acquired and rebuilt.

In 1968, a series of buildings designed by John Nash on York Terrace East also in the South Regent's Park neighbourhood (seven minutes walk from GPS) were acquired and rebuilt.

The four main areas of operation are housing, provision of social facilities and activities, welfare and advice support and the provision of residential scholarships which together with the House's partners represents a £800,000 plus annual programme which received a Commendation in The Charity Awards 2002.

The House operates as a financially self-supporting charity with a diverse number of self generated income streams.